Confirmed with Link: Stafford suspended 1 game

[Derfel*]

Can anyone confirm when the hearing took place? A friend seems to think the decision was posted publicly before the hearing...

 

[Evil Little]

Don't mind it in a vacuum, but I'm willing to bet that--as usual--the 'new standard' set for a Jet will be forgotten once someone else does it.

 

[Jetsfan79]

Garbage Decision. I don't buy the "must control your stick" baloney. The NHL already makes an "exception" if you high stick someone from a slap shot follow through. Whats the difference? Both are accidental. If anything, under their logic the slap shot follow through is worse because you're action is not being compromised by another player. In Stafford's case, he was being illegally held.

 

[winnipegger]

It was an incredibly reckless action from Stafford. Just put yourself in that situation of basically getting two handed across the face with a hockey stick. No complaints.

There's a reason you don't see high sticking that bad, it's because people know not to do it and try not to.

 

[Jetsfan79]

It was an incredibly reckless action from Stafford. Just put yourself in that situation of basically getting two handed across the face with a hockey stick. No complaints.

There's a reason you don't see high sticking that bad, it's because people know not to do it and try not to.

Totally disagree. If he was stuck in a scum or avoiding a body check and manoeuvred in a manner that propelled his stick to hit someone in the head, yes that is reckless. But the difference here is that he is being illegally held. So if someone cross checks you into another player and you accidentally injure him, your responsible?. Ridiculous. A case can almost be made that the player that illegally held Stafford is the reason the injury occured. The 4 minute call was the correct one.

 

[broinwhyteridge]

It was an incredibly reckless action from Stafford. Just put yourself in that situation of basically getting two handed across the face with a hockey stick. No complaints.

There's a reason you don't see high sticking that bad, it's because people know not to do it and try not to.

How do you reconcile this with Gregory's mommy being upset?

 

[Boreal]

Probably helps the tank, I guess.

We still want Matthews, Puljujarvi or Laine, correct?

 

[wpgsilver]

Not sure a suspension was warranted, but hard to get too upset.

I like how Staff handled it.

 

[Jeti]

Totally disagree. If he was stuck in a scum or avoiding a body check and manoeuvred in a manner that propelled his stick to hit someone in the head, yes that is reckless. But the difference here is that he is being illegally held. So if someone cross checks you into another player and you accidentally injure him, your responsible?. Ridiculous. A case can almost be made that the player that illegally held Stafford is the reason the injury occured. The 4 minute call was the correct one.

You can't spin around quickly with your stick extended at face level just because you were held.

This can't be okay.

 

[koth]

He definitely deserves a game for that. I would even be fine with two games. Three would be pushing it.

It was a reckless and dangerous play. I don't know what he was thinking (he wasn't).

 

[Jetsfan79]

You can't spin around quickly with your stick extended at face level just because you were held.

This can't be okay.

You can't make blanket statement like that. Everyone reacts differently in certain precarious situations. Theres a million variables involved including balance, the force being applied etc. Its like an involuntary physical reaction to being ticklish. Not everyone reacts the same way. Theres no way it was intentional and I don't think he will "learn" from this. Under certain conditions, it could easily happen again.

 

[raideralex99]

And yet Alain Vigneault rips the NHL for not suspending Wayne Simmonds ... double standards.

 

[Derfel*]

A 4-minute penalty was enough.

 

[Senorsmooth]

Was sure it was only going to be a fine and then carry on. Tin foil caps aside, comparing Simmonds' borderline sucker punch and this, which one caused the most harm and was intentional? McDonough (sp) is out with a concussion, FYI. I know it's apples to oranges, but Jeez... why are our oranges so sour?